1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to an apparatus for polishing a variety of connectors in an automated fashion, and the methods associated therewith.
2. Description of the Related Art
Fiber connecterization is the process of bonding an optical fiber within a fiber optic connector. The resulting connection must provide a smooth optical interface with controlled geometry parameters and mechanical specifications. Currently, the fiber connecterization process is mostly manual, with the quality of the connectorized fiber depending upon the skill of the operator. Recent developments in fiber optic communication systems have increased the demand for low cost, high performance connectors.
One important parameter for insuring high performance is the smoothness of the interface surface. A polisher is used to transform a rough connector optical interface into a smooth interface to insure proper connection between the fiber and the connector. Such polishing is typically an iterative and sensitive process and is performed in accordance with an operator=s subjective selection of a set of parameters. Further, once these parameters are set by the user, there is no insurance that the polishing machine will operate within the input parameters.
The present invention is therefore directed to an apparatus for automated polishing of optical fibers and the methods associated therewith which substantially overcomes one or more of the problems due to the limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
The above and other objects may be realized by a system for automatically polishing a connector including a polishing media supply, a polishing unit receiving polishing media from the polishing media supply, and a controller for determining a polishing media to be provided by the polishing media supply in accordance with a type of connector to be polished and automatically providing a determined polishing media to the polishing unit.
The polishing media supply may include a polishing fluid supply which supplies a polishing fluid to the polishing unit and/or a lapping film supply which supplies a lapping film to the polishing unit, and the controller determines a polishing fluid and a lapping film to be provided in accordance with a type of connector to be polished and automatically providing a determined polishing fluid and lapping film to the polishing unit. The controller may further regulate a duration and a pressure of polishing by the polishing unit. The controller may determine the polishing media from a look-up table.
The system may include a test unit for evaluating the connectors polished by the polishing unit and, if connectors are not satisfactory, altering the polishing parameters determined by the controller.
The system may include a washing unit for cleaning the connectors after being polished in the polishing unit, the controller further setting the parameters for the washing unit. The system may include an arm for transporting the connectors between the polishing unit and the washing unit.
The above and other objects may also be realized by a method for automatically polishing a connector including determining a type of connector to be polished, setting polishing parameters in accordance with the type of connector, and automatically performing polishing using polishing parameters established by the setting.
The polishing may include automatically supplying a polishing fluid and a lapping film set to a polishing unit. The setting may include looking up polishing parameters for the type of connector in a predetermined table.
The method may include testing connectors after completing polishing in accordance with said polishing parameters, altering said polishing parameters if said testing indicates polished connectors are not satisfactory, polishing connectors in accordance with altered polishing parameters, and if polishing with the altered polishing parameters results in the testing indicating connectors are satisfactory, updating the polishing parameters in the look-up table.
The method may include cleaning connectors after polishing. The method may include automatically repeating polishing and cleaning a plurality of times. The cleaning may be performed in accordance with parameters set by the setting.
The above and other object may be realized by providing a method for automatically polishing a fiber including determining a type of connector to be used with the fiber, setting polishing parameters in accordance with the type of connector, and performing polishing using polishing parameters established by the setting.
The above and other objects may be realized by a system for connecterization processing including a preparation station for forming the connector, an automated polishing station for automatically polishing the connector, and a test station for determining acceptability of polished connectors.
The preparation station and the test station may be integrated on a single platform. There may be at least two preparation stations and/or at least two test stations.
The above and other objects of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.